Minimization of contact resistance between metal and polymer by surface doping

Abstract

The technique of surface doping is used to reduce the contact resistance between Au and poly(3-hexylthiophen-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) in Au(bottom)/P3HT/Au(top) sandwich type cells. To implement this technique, dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (DBSA) is found to be an effective bulky dopant of P3HT as confirmed by four probe conductivity measurements, absorption and photoluminescence spectra. Sandwich cells treated with DBSA showed electrical short due to diffusion of DBSA across the P3HT film in Au(bottom)/DBSA/P3HT/DBSA/Au(top) sandwich cells, which confirms that DBSA is not immobilized at the surface. To restrict DBSA primarily at the surface, an aqueous solution of poly(ethylenedioxy thiophene) stabilized in poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT : PSS) is utilized to make an emulsion with DBSA. The application of this emulsion at the top and bottom Au/P3HT interface has resulted in a decrease of contact resistance by nearly four orders of magnitude.